A school hall in Lavender Hill was transformed into an African story village this week as Grade 1 to 3 learners at Hillwood Primary School marked International Literacy Day with storytelling, drumming, puppetry and movement.
The event was organised by Living Through Learning, a public benefit organisation that works in partnership with Coronation to improve literacy in primary schools in disadvantaged communities. The interactive African Storyprogramme drew on Africa’s oral storytelling traditions to get children listening, playing with words and sounds, and participating in stories themselves.
Coronation CEO Anton Pillay joined learners and educators for the morning and toured the school.
Since 2010, Coronation has partnered with Living Through Learning to strengthen literacy outcomes in primary schools. By investing in educator training, quality learning materials and ongoing classroom support, the programme helps teachers build the literacy foundations that underpin children’s learning throughout their school years.
The event brought a different dimension to that ongoing work. Learners clapped out rhythms and experienced stories unfold around them. The activities were designed to make reading and language enjoyable while supporting skills such as vocabulary, comprehension and phonemic awareness. At the end of the morning, every learner received an age-appropriate book to take home.
The event coincided with the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, established by Unesco to highlight the importance of literacy and the role it plays in enabling people to participate fully in society. Six decades later, building strong foundations for reading and learning remains an important challenge.
Sonja Botha, founder of Living Through Learning, said literacy reaches well beyond the ability to read and write.
“Literacy gives children the confidence to understand their world, the imagination to see beyond it and the ability to express themselves. It is the foundation on which so much future learning and opportunity is built.”
For Coronation, that connection between education and opportunity is behind its longstanding investment in education, with a particular emphasis on laying down strong foundations in the early years.
“Learning to read is an important first step. The real value comes when children understand what they are reading, enjoy it, and begin to read because they want to. A good story can introduce them to ideas, people and places beyond their own experience, while building the curiosity and confidence to keep learning. That is why developing a love of reading from an early age matters so much,” said Pillay.
